Story vs. Simplicity in Mass Effect 3

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By Mitch Dyer

Mass Effect 3 is all about decisions – no, not the moral ones. The campaign has plenty of personal options that cater to various play styles because BioWare knows its audience. Some folks aren't interested exclusively in story, and portions of the player base don't want to waste time dying during combat. Mass Effect 3 goes to great lengths to ensure you get the experience you want. If you opt to focus on story, combat difficulty gets dialed down. If you're here for the pew pew, you'll spend more time talking with your rifle than Shepard's mouth.

If you're particularly picky about your Mass Effect, there's even a choice to eliminate choice: You can turn off the moral yea and nay altogether.

Exit Theatre Mode

As a Mass Effect nerd who values narrative over action, I took the story-centric difficulty mode for a spin. It dials difficulty down so you're able to steamroll enemies with minimal effort. It works precisely as advertised. I got in everyone's face, which I promptly shot with a shotgun, and didn't come close to dying even once. One melee attack knocks the life out of basic enemies. A well-aimed biotic blast can cripple groups.

As intended, this is a total cakewalk and lets you get to the chit-chat much faster than usual. This isn't how I'll play through Mass Effect 3.

The ease of eliminating everyone goes against everything the story stands for. The tutorial makes it very clear that Earth is totally screwed as the Reapers invade. Even though I focus on story, I don't want to sacrifice the struggle. These are terrifying creatures, and the damage they're doing to the planet sets a grim tone. Cities crumble, Anderson gets left behind, and a child gets blasted by a laser beam – it's a lot of depressing subject matter in a short amount of time. If you have any emotional investment in Mass Effect, the last in the trilogy obviously wants to ruin you.

Exit Theatre Mode

Before it reaches its inevitable depressing end, Mass Effect 3 seems to capitalize on your interest in big, meaningful ways. In a later mission on the salarian home world, Shepard bumps into Captain Kirrahe, obliterates a Cerberus hit squad, and joins Wrex in rescuing a female krogan. If this stuff sends chills up your spine, you have plenty to look forward to. If it read like gibberish, you may miss out on many of Mass Effect 3's deeper story elements.

Playing two missions convinced me I have little to worry about with the finale. The combat is more involving and reactive than it's ever been, and BioWare went all in with the cinematic presentation. Past story elements are coming to a head and the devastating Reapers are finally assaulting Earth. It's a lot to take in.

If you aren't caught up yet, you don't have much time to fix that problem before Mass Effect 3 releases on March 6.

Mitch Dyer is an Associate Editor for IGN's Xbox 360 team. He's also quite Canadian. Read his ramblings on Twitter and My IGN.